


I Am Not There, I Do Not Sleep

by lucybeetle



Category: Kamen Rider Drive
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-02 23:18:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5267624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucybeetle/pseuds/lucybeetle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kiriko is waiting when Chase gets home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Am Not There, I Do Not Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Taken from a Tumblr prompt: Chase/Kiriko, ghost/living person AU. Since it's supposed to be AU, I've switched it around as to which one dies.
> 
>  **Warning** for (non-canon) character death and mentions of alcohol abuse.

Chase did not have a home, per se. If it rained, he slept at the police station (he was waterproof, but his human friends worried about him when it rained), but otherwise he pretty much lived in the woods. He visited his favourite tree almost every day; and when he did, usually in the early evening, Kiriko was always there. 

"Hello, Chase." She waved when she saw him.

He sat down on a tree stump, and she was beside him when he looked up again, "How is Tomari-san?" she asked.

"He is well."

Chase knew by now that humans liked to tell small lies to protect each others' feelings. It was not a malicious thing to do, so he did not believe it was wrong for him to say this to Kiriko. The truth was that Shinnosuke was not well at all. He was currently on extended "compassionate leave" from work so that he wouldn't lose his job. He had been drinking a lot since Kiriko's accident, and a few weeks ago he'd fallen down some stairs while drunk and ended up in hospital. Chase had visited and brought him flowers. Kiriko cried when Chase told her what had happened, and he'd hugged her while she calmed down. She hadn't wanted to go to the hospital with Chase. There would be no point, because Shinnosuke couldn't see her.

"What about Rinna, and Otta-san, and, and Kyu-san? Are they OK?" said Kiriko.

"I believe so. I am not sure where they now work. I must ask Shinnosuke to find out," said Chase.

It was difficult to make out her expression, because her outline was so faint. It faded a little more every time he saw her. When her beloved brother had gone back to the USA, she had vanished for several days. Chase had feared that she would never come back; but she had, a week later. He thought he knew how it worked now. Her outline appeared stronger or fainter depending on her feelings. The reason that she looked so hazy to him was because she was experiencing the feeling known as heartbreak. He was very familiar with that emotion now.

Chase said "Will you tell me the story about Gou stealing fruit from the house next door?"

As she laughed, her image flickered and then grew brighter in front of him. "Why do you want to hear that one again? I've told you so many times."

"I enjoy it," said Chase. He was aware that the proper word for such a story was 'funny', though he had not yet experienced the emotion that went with this word. Saying that he enjoyed hearing about Gou's childhood was also a small lie. Kiriko liked to talk about Gou, and that made her appear clearer. Sometimes she looked solid enough that Chase could forget that she was not alive any more.

She repeated the story, and he listened even though she had told it over and over again. Humans thought it was very rude if someone did not pay attention to them when they were talking.

"... and he had peach juice all over his shirt, and ..." Kiriko's voice trailed off. She flickered once more and became fuzzy.

"And then you put Gou in the bath," said Chase.

"That's right. I put him in the bath, and he yelled and kicked me, and then the doorbell rang so ..." She was fading now, and so was her voice, fainter and fainter until Chase could no longer see or hear her at all. He thought, briefly, that he might have heard her sob; then, everything was silent.

Chase got up and went to lie on a soft patch of grass where he liked to sleep. His face was very wet, and his chest was tight and painful. It was not comfortable at all, but he knew that it was because he was feeling heartbreak. He had not yet found out what to do to make it stop.

Gentle fingers that he could not see traced over his cheek and wiped at his tears. 

"Goodnight, Kiriko. I will see you tomorrow," said Chase.

She was gone again as quickly as she'd reappeared, but the moment was long enough for him to see that she was smiling.


End file.
